Hose and supporter



March 31,1936. E GAMES 2,035,469

'HOSE AND SUP'PORTER Filed April 25, 1952 Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITEDSTATES PATENT oF'Fica' HOSE AND SUPPORTER Eugene Franklin Gaines,Mei-ion, Pa., assignor to H. Birchard Taylor and Chester W. Larner, bothof Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 25,1932, Se rial No. 607,309

1 Claim. (Cl. 2-240) My invention relates to hosiery units comprisingthe hose proper and means for supporting or holding them in place,whereby a unit, com prising the hose proper and structure wholly orpartly functioning in lieu of the usual detachable garter, may belaundered without disassembly. In accordance with my invention there isattached .to or made a part of the hose proper one or more members orelements, extending upwardly from the hose, and preferably yielding orelastic longitudinally of the leg, and constituting means for connectingthe hose to-a legembracing band-like structure which is elastic cotton,silk, wool or the like upon a core or thread of highly elastic rubber,whereby the connecting member or the l eg-embracing band is of greaterelasticity than that employed in garters commonly used in the art inorder that clasps andadjustments may be dispensed with,

and a supporter produced that will easily pass; over the foot and fitany size orshape of leg comfortably and efficiently,

My invention resides in a hosiery unit of the character hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

Foran illustration of one of the various forms .my invention may take,reference is had to th accompanying drawing, in which:

Figs. 1 and are front and side views, respectively, of a hosiery unit inaccordance with my invention; i 2

Fig.3 is an enlarged front view of the supporter shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Fig. -1, T is the. top of the hose H,

and, as usual, is preferably of knitted vertically ribbeld fabricwhereby it is resilient or yielding cir'cuniferentially' .of the leg.The top T may,

however, be knitted plain, or be of a structure of v low' yield orlowelasticity.

The leg-encircling band structure consists in this example of apermanently closed band that is longitudinally yielding or resilient ina directop T of the hose.

Fig. 3.

tion circumferentially of the' leg, and for this purpose may beconstructed of anysuitable material. In the example illustrated the bandB2 is a knitted vertically (transversely) ribbed elastic fabric.

To the element B2 is secured, by stitching orequivalent means, the upperend of each of the one or more connector members C, of knittedhorizontally (transversely) ribbed elastic fabric,

generally of the character of the fabric of which 10 band member B2 ismade. Each element C is similarly attached by stitching or equivalentmeans at its lower end to the upper end of the When two-members C areemployed as illustrated, they are so spaced from 15 each other at theupper edge of the top T that upon the circumferential extension of thetop T when upon the leg, the elements C, C will be suitably spaced fromeach other asindicated in The yielding or elasticity of the connectormembers C longitudinally of the leg is of advantage in that itaccommodates the hosiery unit to fit legs of different sizes andproportions, per-- mitting the band structure which encircles the legalways to be in suitable position above the calf and at suitableincline, as indicated in Fig. 2. To procure or permit suitable inclineof the band structure when upon the leg, either end, generally the upperend, or both ends, of each of the connector members C may be to suitableextent inclined, or out on a slant, at an angle other than 90 with theside edges of the member C. Similarly,the lower ends of each member Cmay becut at such angle to its sides as to accommodate the top T of thehose.

Where substantially'the entire band is yield ing or elastic, it adjustsitself to suitable incline upon the leg. The upper ends of the connectormembers C, are at suitable incline to The material or fabric for theconnector elements .C, or the band structure B2 may be in-' creased astoits elasticityor yielding qualities by combining therewith 'edge ormarginal elements of rubber or the like, particularly in the.

form of elastic tape .or'braid. Preferably, how-- ever,. the extraresiliency or elasticity of the fabric is procured by knitting orincorporating therein several courses-,- indicated by the narrow areasor hands L in the drawing, of any special yarn which is unusuallyresilient or yielding. These courses themselves nay also be ribbed inconformity with the' knitted structure of the body of the materialitself. For such: purpose their sides 40 where attached to the band'Bz..a 1

marginal edges of the members C or B2.

there is preferably used a resilient yarn comprising a core or. threadof highly resilient rubber, or equivalent, upon which is wound or spunfibers of cotton, wool, silk, rayon or any other suitable material. Theweaving within the fabric of this special yarn or elastic thread impartsthereto an unusual resiliency of advantage in a hosiery unit of thecharacter described. In the case the special yarn comprises a thread orcore of rubber, it may be of a known type withstanding temperaturesupwardly of 212 F. and which also withstands numerous washings. Inknitting the aforesaid elastic fabric the special elastic thread or spunyarn is substituted at any suitable regular intervals for the yarnconstituting the remainder of the fabric. The special highly elasticthread or yarn may be of the character known as Lastex, and generally ofthe character described in Letters Patent of the United States, Nos.1,822,847 and 1,545,257.

The edges of the members C and B2 of the elastic or resilient fabricdescribed may be suitably bound, as by suitable stitching which will notmaterially interfere with the elasticity of the fabric itself. For suchbinder stitching there may be utilized the elastic thread or yarn hereindescribed in producing the elements L, which themselves may be at theedges or constitute Similarly stitching which does not materiallyinterfere with the elasticity of the fabric may be utilized forattachment of the members C to the elastic element B2.

In attaching the parts to each other, particularly connector members Cto the band structure B2, or to the top T, they may be stitched to eachother in overlapping relation. It is preferred, however, that the partsabut in non-overlapping relation; when so abutting they may be attachedto each other by stitching forming so-called flatlock or bar-lock seams.

A hosiery unit of the character herein described has the advantage thatit may as such and without disassembly be washed or laundered. The hosesupporting or garter elements of the unit, such as the connector membersC and band member B2, are of a character which withstand numerouswashings without disassembly from the hose itself.

The materials for the connector members and the leg-encircling bandstructure may be anything suitable for the purposes described. It

.is preferred, however, that they be-substantiaily free of such usualgarter materials as rubber, rubber elastic and the like, which do notwell withstand numerous washings or elevated temperature. I

The fabric for the members B2 and C may be of any suitable characterprovided it be sufficiently elastic; it may be of knitted, woven orother type, and either ribbed or not. Furthermore, the fabric for thosemembers may be woven or knitted, wholly or in part, of the extra elasticthread or yarn, of the character hereinbefore described, utilized forthe parts or fabric components L.

What I claim is:

A hosiery unit comprising, in combination, a hose, a continuousleg-encircling member spaced from the top of said hose and consisting ofa band of highly elastic material having its ends highly elasticmaterial having their upper ends around the front of the leg beingsubstantially less than that measured around the back of the leg.

EUGENE; FRANKLIN GAINES.

